After
being hit with catastrophic storms this month, much of Texas – including Houston,
the fourth-largest city in the U.S. - has been turned into a flood disaster
zone. Massive search and rescue operations are ongoing, hindered by debris in
the floodwaters and by continuing rain causing flash floods from
already-swollen rivers.
The one
positive note for this storm-battered state is that several Texas fire
departments operate Neoteric rescue hovercraft, which are saving victims in
areas that boats and other rescue vehicles can’t reach.
The CBS
news video below shows one example. At 6:30 this morning in a suburb of Dallas,
a woman became trapped on top of her submerged car when a nearby creek suddenly
overflowed. Just fifteen minutes later, Wylie Fire-Rescue first responders
rescued her in their Neoteric hovercraft before she suffered any injuries.
Here you
can see for yourself how easily the Rescue HoverTrek operates in shallow,
debris-filled water and has the unique maneuverability for up-close access to
victims without forcing first responders to enter the water …
The
newscasters immediately grasped the importance of hovercraft in flood rescue
operations:
“A hovercraft is sometimes the easiest way for the rescuers to get to folks surrounded by these waters … You can’t go out in normal boats because you don’t know what kind of debris is out there … These hovercraft are just a much more effective way …”
“A hovercraft is sometimes the easiest way for the rescuers to get to folks surrounded by these waters … You can’t go out in normal boats because you don’t know what kind of debris is out there … These hovercraft are just a much more effective way …”
Scores of
people remain missing, and the death toll in Texas is likely to rise since more
storms are expected to batter the state this weekend. Tragically, the death toll includes first
responders - and victims lost to failed rescue attempts by vehicles that can't perform as well as hovercraft in flood rescue operations. A firefighter in
Claremore, Oklahoma lost his life when he drowned in muddy water while trying
to rescue children, and another firefighter was injured in the same incident.
One person died and three are missing in Houston after being swept away when a
rescue boat capsized.
Extreme
weather events such as this are becoming more and more common. We at Neoteric
urge first responders to consider the value of a hovercraft for water, ice, mud
and flood rescue operations. It's the most effective vehicle for
fast, safe rescues, and it keeps your team above
the danger – not in it.
See more
Texas flood hovercraft rescues …
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